Toy pistol



F. M. CASS TOY PISTOL Filed Jan. 24, 1938 INVENTOR. 54mm 1 64.95 BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. '24, 1940 lJNlTED STATES "PATENT orricr.

1 Claim.

My invention relates in general to toy pistols and it has particular relation to toy pistols in which a rubber band is employed as the missile ejected by the pistol and also to furnish the actuating force for the operation of the toy. The ordinary toy pistols constructed inaccordance with the usual practice and with which I am familiar have had certain defects. In the devices known to the art it is ordinarily very difficult to obtain any degree of accuracy in operating the device as in shooting at a target. In addition, the toy pistol constructed in accordance with the usual practice and using rubber bands to furnish the actuating force ordinarily employs another object as the missile. This practice renders the action of the toy pistol much less positive.

Accordingly, it was my idea, to construct a toy pistol in which both accuracy in shooting and positive action would be obtained. Primarily, I was interested in constructing a toy pistol which would interest adults as well as children.

It might be desirable to employ a toy pistol of this nature in a game in which a fair degree of accuracy in shooting at an object would be required. The devices known to the art and with which I am familiar would not provide the possibility of any great degree of accuracy nor would the action of the device be very positive.

It is accordingly a general object of my invention to provide a toy pistol in which the action will be simple and positive.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a toy pistol in which a rubber band is o employed as the missile and in which the rubber band itself furnishes the propelling force.

Another object of my invention is to provide a toy pistol in which a high degree of accuracy may be obtained in the operation thereof as when shooting at a target.

According to my invention, in a toy pistol, a rubber band is employed as the missile and the rubber band provides its own actuating force by reason of the elastic effect of the rubber band when stretched. A simple and positive hammer and trigger means is supplied for tripping the rubber band. In addition a sighting or aiming means is provided. Thus, with a toy pistol constructed according to my invention the operator will be able to hit a target with a high degree of accuracy and the pistol may be used by adults as well as children for pleasure. The rubber band employed as the missile is not destructive or dangerous.

The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claim. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation together with additional objects and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment and read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a toy pistol constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a View in side elevation of the toy pistol constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention and showing the pistol and the relation of its parts in the cooked position ready for discharging, and

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of a toy pistol constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention and showing the pistol and the relation of its parts after it has been discharged.

Referring now to the drawing, the apparatus shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3 comprises a main frame indicated generally at it and shaped generally in the form of a standard automatic pistol. The main frame consists of the rectangular piece 1! I corresponding to the barrel of a standard pistol and of the butt or grip it.

The frame it is slotted at the rear part of the butt end to provide two rearwardly extending ears l3 and M. A hammer indicated generally at I6, is pivotally mounted between the ears l3 and M, by means of pin l'i. An upwardly extending portion [8 of the hammer is provided to afford a seating place for one end of a rubber band as hereinafter described. The portion i8 is also slotted to provide a sight to aid in aiming the toy pistol as when shooting at a target. In addition the hammer has a rearwardly extending thumb piece Id. The hammer is so formed as to provide a ledge 2!! to be engaged with a sear-like portion of the trigger as hereinafter described.

The grip l2 of the toy pistol is also slotted at its butt end to provide two rearwardly extending ears 22 and 23. A trigger indicated generally at 24 and working in conjunction with the hammer l6 as hereinafter explained, is pivotally mounted between the ears 22 and 23 by means of a pin 25. The trigger consists of the searlike portion 29 and a hand-piece 26. The grip i2 is drilled to provide a hole 21 therethrough and a corresponding drilled hole 28 is provided in the trigger 24 to permit the insertion of a coiled spring 29 for the purpose of providing an outward pressure upon the trigger.

A pin 3| is mounted on the upper portion of the front of the barrel-like portion of the frame to provide a means of mounting a rubber band 32 as hereinafter described. A rubber pin 33 may be inserted in the front upper face of the barrel to act as a front sight and the material of the barrel gouged out in front of the pin to permit the pin to be knocked down into the barrel by the rubber band in discharging the pistol.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, the operation of the above described apparatus may be set forth as follows. In Figure 2 the toy pistol is shown ready for discharging. A rubber band 32 is placed over the pin 3| and drawn back over the upwardly extending portion l8 of the hammer 16. The hammer I6 is depressed by applying pressure on the thumb piece 19, and the trigger 24, due to the action of the spring 29 in pressing the trigger outwardly, engages the hammer in a cooked position by reason of the searlike portion 20 of the trigger engaging with the ledge 2| of the hammer [6.

The device may then be sighted at an object by means of the rear sight I8 and front sight 33 or by using the rubber band as a sighting means, and upon pressing the trigger 24 forward, the toy pistol is discharged. In passing over the pin 33 the rubber band may knock this pin down out of the way without interfering with the flight of the band or deflecting it in any way.

In Figure 3 the toy is shown in the discharged position. The trigger has been pressed forward moving the sear-like portion H of the trigger out of engagement with the ledge 2| of the hammer Hi. The tension in the rubber band 32 pulls the hammer it about the pin I! and the upwardly extending portion N3 of the hammer l6 moves sufiiciently to permit the discharge of the rubber band 32 due to its own tension.

Therefore, in using the device the operator merely places the rubber band over the pin 3|, draws it back over the upwardly extending portion I 3 of the hammer I6 and engages the trigger and hammer by depressing the thumb piece [9 of the hammer. The operator then sights at an object through the slot in the portion l8 of the hammer and presses the trigger 24 inwardly to cause the discharge of the rubber band 32 at the object sighted at.

It is obvious that a toy pistol constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention has several advantages. The action is simple and positive. A relatively high degree of accuracy is obtained and thus the toy is appreciated by adults as well as children. Furthermore, on discharging the pistol, the front portion of the hammer l8 strikes the butt of the pistol with a loud pop much like the discharge of an air gun, which feature adds to the desirability of the device as a childs toy.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

In a toy pistol for shooting a rubber band, a frame member having a flat upper face and two pairs of rearwardly extending lugs, a trigger pivotally mounted in one set of lugs, a hammer pivotally mounted in the other set of lugs, the hammer in the cocked position having an upwardly extending ear adapted to receive one end of the stretched rubber band, the edge of the hammer receiving the band being recessed to cause the band to be drawn down flat against the fiat upper face of the frame member and the said ear being slotted so that the slot acts as a rear sight, a pin of readily yieldable material set in the flat surface of the front portion of the frame member to act as a sight, and a pin projecting forwardly from the forward end of the body to act as an anchor for the front end of the stretched band, the forwardly projecting pin and recessed portion of the ear acting to draw the band in its stretched condition down on the flat upper face of the frame member, whereby when the band is released it will be projected forwardly parallel to the upper face of the frame member with its direction of movement determined by the pin and ear of the hammer so as to be in line with the front and rear sight, to thus provide an accurate device of the character indicated.

FRANK M. CASS. 

